URL: http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2013/2013_star_gradfellow.html

Open Date: 10/04/2012 - Close Date: 11/27/2012

Summary and tips document is available here: http://www.snre.umich.edu/current_students/financial_aid/workshops; scroll down to "Diana's EPA Summary 10oct12". there is also a reference notebook in OAP which is available to students.

Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites applications for the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for graduate environmental study for master's and doctoral level students. The deadline for submission of applications is November 27, 2012. Subject to availability of funding and other applicable considerations, the Agency plans to award approximately 80 new fellowships in the summer of 2013. Master's level students may receive support for a maximum of two years. Doctoral students may be supported for a maximum of three years, usable over a period of five years. The fellowship program provides up to $42,000 per year of support per fellowship. This amount covers a monthly stipend of $2,083 for up to 12 months totaling $25,000 for the year, $5,000 for authorized expenses, and up to $12,000 for tuition and fees [the difference would be paid by Rackham]. The actual amount awarded per year will vary depending on the amount of tuition and fees and the number of months the stipend is required. These fellowships are intended to help defray costs associated with advanced, environmentally-oriented study leading to a master's or doctoral degree.

EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation’s future well being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, persons with disabilities, and women historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants, including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply. At the same time, the EPA seeks to expand environmental conversations by including members of communities which have not previously participated in such dialogues; therefore EPA strongly encourages such eligible applicants, including applicants from Minority Academic Institutions, to apply.